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reveho

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word reveho

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
81–43 BC, Cicero
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*ueǵʰ-e/o-)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin veho
Latin conveho
Latin reveho
Latin aveho
Latin eveho
Latin vector
English vector
Latin deveho
Latin subveho
Latin vecto
Latin vehiculum
French véhicule
English vehicle

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈrɛ.we.(ɦ)oː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈrɛː.ve.o][1]

Forms

revehō (present infinitive revehere, perfect active revē̆xī, supine revectum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin re- + vehō (“to carry, convey”).[2][1] De Vaan traces vehō to Proto-Italic *weχ-e/o- and Proto-Indo-European *ueǵʰ-e/o- (“to carry”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lewis & Short first quote Cicero, of a statue of Diana brought back to Segesta from Carthage.[4][5]

Semantic evolution

It is to bring or convey back, by ship, on horseback or otherwise: Livy has booty brought back, and Ovid weapons carried back to the Greeks.[4] In the passive it is to ride or sail back: Horace has a man asking whether it is not enough to be carried back to Ithaca, and Livy horses and men made ready so that no one could ride back from there to the battle.[2] Tacitus uses it of the firths of Clyde and Forth, carried far inland by the tides.[2] Figuratively Cicero says he has been carried back to a somewhat earlier age.[2] Lewis & Short give reportō, referō and reddō as synonyms.[4]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of a statue brought back and of going back in time.[4][2][5]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace of returning to Ithaca.[2][5]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of booty and of riding back.[4][2][5]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus of the firths of Clyde and Forth.[2][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To bring back, convey back.[2][4][1]
  2. (passive) To ride back, sail back, return.[2]
  3. Of natural forces, to carry back inland.[2]
  4. (figurative) To carry back in time.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
Cite this entry

“Reveho.” Etymologically, 20 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/reveho. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·